A comparative analysis of palpatory acuity in chiropractic students between 2015 and 2024

To explore differences in palpatory acuity between two independent student cohorts from 2015 to 2024, and to assess the potential effect of pedagogical changes in the teaching of palpation skills that emphasize sensory awareness over anatomical identification at the New Zealand College of Chiropractic (NZCC).

This study was a comparative cross-sectional study using two independent student cohorts. In 2015, palpatory acuity was assessed in 199 chiropractic students (42.5% female, mean: 25.8 ± 7.4 years) from 4 different cohorts. In 2024, 154 students (54.5% female, mean: 23.6 ± 5.6 years) over 4 cohorts were assessed. Palpatory acuity was measured by the participant's ability to accurately locate a 0.1 mm nylon monofilament under a variable number of 80gsm white copying paper sheets while blindfolded. Unpaired Wilcoxon rank sum tests were used to assess differences between timepoints (2015 and 2024) and year groups.

The 2024 group (mean: 67.8 ± 22.5 pages) demonstrated significantly higher palpatory acuity compared with the 2015 group (mean: 31.1 ± 22.4 pages, p < .001). All cohorts in 2024 outperformed their 2015 counterparts (p < .001). In both groups, acuity improved notably between cohorts in years 2 and 3 but showed minimal further gains in the final year. In the 2015 group, year 3 (mean: 38.0 ± 24.4) and year 4 (mean: 37.5 ± 20.1) students outperformed year 1 (mean: 25.1 ± 19.8, p = .028-0.040) and year 2 students (mean: 26.3 ± 22.6, p = .039-0.040). In the 2024 group, year 3 students (mean: 81.7 ± 15.2) performed significantly better than year 1 (mean: 59.8 ± 22.5, p < .001) and year 2 students (mean: 70.6 ± 17.5, p = .023).

These findings suggest that emphasizing sensory experience in palpation training may enhance student performance. Educators may consider integrating more structured haptic exercises early in curricula, while future research should explore longitudinal outcomes and the neural mechanisms underlying skill acquisition to guide further educational reform.

Curricular and pedagogical changes at NZCC were linked to significantly greater palpatory acuity in students. Palpatory acuity appears to improve early-to-midway through training (regardless of the method used to teach it), with limited gains thereafter. Practical experience and repetition contribute to improving acuity, but this study highlights the value of sensory-focused practice in curriculum design for chiropractic education.